craft beverage yakima

Craft Beverage Yakima is a unique collection of beer, cider, spirits and wine producers located in the city of Yakima and its surrounding area (gap to gap). We’re dedicated to increasing awareness for the region as producers of high quality artisanal craft beverages.

Explore Yakima

Before Washington wine was on the international enological map, there was wine in Yakima Valley. The first established wine-growing region in the Evergreen State, Yakima Valley was also the first in the Pacific Northwest, designated as an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in 1983. Today, the appellation supports the top wineries in the state, cultivating 17,000 acres of wine grapes — the most of any appellation in Washington — and supplying half of the state’s total wine production its fruit.

In the namesake town of Yakima, wine is not only part of the beverage scene — it started it. With humble roots and tranquil country roads, the wine community is close-knit and heavily family operated, where, in many cases, the hands pouring the juice into your glass are also the ones that made the wine itself.

Get to know the makers and Washington wine better with a weekend of wine tasting, following this leisurely stroll through the Yakima Valley. [Read More via Sip Magazine]

Have you ever heard of Yakima Valley? We hadn’t until our most recent trip to Seattle and Washington. What we ended up discovering was that Yakima Valley is one of the best weekend trips from Seattle. Littered with beauty from the Cascade mountain range, vineyards, orchards, lavender fields, and views of Mt. Rainer and Mt. Hood we couldn’t believe that this area has been kept secret for so long. Besides being gorgeous, Yakima Valley also is the world’s leading producer in hops, yes more than Germany, grows all kinds of fruit and produce, and home to wineries. We couldn’t believe all this existed in one place as well as being a cool getaway near Seattle to escape to.

Find out why we think Yakima Valley is one of the best weekend trips from Seattle. [Read More]

[Via The Spokesman-Review | ] Whether your brew of choice is Budweiser or Bale Breaker, there are few places on Earth where you can sip a cold pint knowing the flavors came from a farm just down the road.

That’s a point of pride for nearly everyone connected to the Yakima Valley’s hops industry, from farmers to regulars at Yakima Sports Center – a downtown bar with a selection of two dozen craft beer taps.

Hops farmers are still farmers, and face the same challenges as other growers: labor shortages, rising costs, a particularly pesky mite, high barriers to entry that keep new players from entering the market…

[Via Conde Nast Traveler] Napa Valley sets the gold standard for wine regions in the U.S., with its farm-to table restaurants, award-winning wineries, and hotels so romantic you’ll swoon—but it’s not the only idyllic spot for a wine-tasting vacation. Washington’s Yakima Valley, the state’s oldest and largest wine region, has all the romantic trappings of Napa, but with a little less fuss and without the tour buses, traffic jams, and astronomical tasting fees that come with Napa’s popularity.

Small Quantity, High Quality

There are 100 wineries in the 70-mile-long Yakima Valley; most are family-run boutique producers that don’t distribute out of state, so if you want to taste them, you have to head to the source. Though many have racked up top awards at wine competitions, tasting fees are still low: usually $5 or less, and the fee is often waived with a bottle purchase.

Compared to Napa, Yakima’s best wines are a bargain. The sparkling brut from Treveri Cellars, which has been served at State Department dinners and James Beard Foundation events, is a steal at less than $15, and the silky Rhone blends from Kana Winery, like the 89-point, $22 Dark Star, could easily sell for double the price…

[Via 425 Magazine] Just about two hours away from the Eastside is a magical place where the sun shines more than 300 days per year. That translates to major photosynthetic growing power, which is why the Yakima Valley grows nearly 80 percent of the world’s hops, bushels of orchard fruits, and was named the first wine appellation north of California in 1983. Today the charming town of Yakima makes for an easy weekend getaway complete with great food, locally crafted beverages, startling scenery, and an active to-do list…